Edition 3
For Our Veterans
Did you know...?
Dependent on your pensionable condition some, or all of the above, services may be covered by Blue Cross.
Please reach out to Trauma Healing Centers for us to assist you; we can make that request to VAC on your behalf.
A Discussion with our VP of Veteran Relations
Welcome to our third edition of our monthly newsletter.
March has arrived and we are in full swing at all or our clinic locations. As the weather warms and days get longer most of us start feeling better and are more willing to get outside and be more active. Personally, over spring and summer, I look for more opportunities to speak in front of people suffering with PTSD and chronic pain. These days it seems much easier to find an audience, however, I'm open to invitations at any time.
My presentations are simple, they show everyone that the struggle they are facing is real and there is help available. Telling my struggles and how I recovered has helped many and I look forward to more presentations through the year.
If you know a group that would be a great audience to receive a presentation about Trauma Healing Centers, please email me and lets see if we can help people in your area today. My email address is tbungay@traumahc.com.
See you all next month when I will discuss activities you can do to keep you in the right frame of mind.
Until next month,
Trev Bungay
VP/ Veteran Relations
Wellness… Hope…Trust
Do you need an Psychological Assessment for VAC?
If so, we have a psychologist available, at most locations, to assist you in completing your application. Please contact the clinic nearest you to set up your psychological assessment today.
Q & A With Kevin Estabrooks - Peer Support Advisor
Q – “How do I deal with a relapse of my PTSD?”
A – First off, let me say that I am not a therapist of any kind. If you are having severe PTSD symptoms and feel that you can’t cope then seek professional medical help immediately. I am simply sharing my personal experiences and observations in hopes that it may help someone else in a similar situation.
When dealing with PTSD, relapses, or “feeling down” is normal and is to be expected. The path to recovery is full of small ups and downs that lead to an overall improvement in mental health. The first step we learn in therapy for PTSD is stabilization. Some of the fundamentals of stabilization are: therapy from a qualified therapist, proper medication, eating right, getting adequate sleep, physical activity and more.
During a relapse, these fundamentals are more important than ever but we usually feel so low or lack the energy to carry them out. Here are a few tricks I use that may help.
THERAPY – Don’t skip it! You may be feeling down and not want to go but force yourself. A qualified therapist can be an un-bias opinion that can help guide you through this low time. Be honest with them and tell them you are feeling low and tell them that you may want to keep the session short. Just go.
MEDICATION – Many people stop taking their medication during a relapse figuring “what is the point”. This is very dangerous and is bound to send you in to a tail spin. It takes weeks for these medications to get into our bodies and working properly. Keep to a routine. Take them at the same time daily. This will make it easier to stay on track when feeling low as it becomes an almost automatic response.
EATING WELL – Many of us have a tendency to overeat when we are feeling low. It’s our bodies striving for energy that it is lacking. The important thing here is to acknowledge that is what’s going on. Try your best to stick to a healthy meal plan but don’t beat yourself up over it.
SLEEP – When we get into a sleep deficit our mental state is immediately affected. If you can’t get continuous sleep or are troubled by nightmares, try a nap. Your mind needs this sleep one way or the other. Recharging with a nap can be enough to get you through this relapse. Take a quality nap too. A dark, quiet bedroom has way more benefits to the brain than a nap on the couch in front of the TV.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY – This is a hard one. When you are depressed and lack energy, it is extremely difficult to do physical activity. Adapt. Instead of going to the gym, go for a walk. Instead of a run, build something. The key here is to just move. Don’t be hard on yourself here and be proud of whatever you are able to pull off.
The overall theme in everything I have said here is kind of the same: Don’t beat yourself up. A relapse is normal and it will pass. Your internal dialogue will make all of the difference in how you deal with it.
Until next time,
Kevin
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Locations and Affiliate Clinics
Halifax:
959 Cole Harbour Road
Dartmouth, NS
B2V 1E5
902-462-2957
Ottawa:
100 Craig Henry Drive
Suite 103/104
Ottawa, ON
K2G 5W3
613-695-8555
Hamilton: Main Street Health Recovery (Affiliate Clinic)
460 Main Street East
Hamilton, ON
L8N 1K2
1-844-429-6074
Moncton: (Affiliate Clinic)
1789 Mountain Rd.
Suite #203
Moncton, NB.
E1G 1A7
506-387-4652
Fredericton: MindShift Clinic (Affiliate Clinic)
206 Rookwood Ave, Suite 150
Fredericton, NB
E3B 2M1
506-455-4551
Contact Us
Email: info@traumahc.com
Website: http://www.traumahc.com/
Phone: 1-844-429-6074
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TraumaHealingCenters/
Twitter: @TraumaHealingCA